It's All An Illusion
by Irene Claire
Summary: One of the team members disappears after Steve receives a series of very confusing, threatening messages. DWOCD members get ONE guess at who. Rated T just in case.
1. Prologue

**I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. No copyright infringement intended.**

**Notes: got nuthin'. Just an admission that I'm a proud member of DWOCD! There's just no hiding it. A shout out to CinderH - best beta ever! Who also had a heavy hand in this great Prologue piece.**

**H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* **

**Prologue**

The pristine handwritten note was left in a plain white envelope with only Steve's last name written on it; simply 'MCGARRETT' in large printed capital letters. The envelope was placed under the driver's side windshield wiper of the Silverado. Oddly, for all the attempts at creating a perfect document, the wording was actually hard to read with many misspelled words. It appeared as if the author tried very hard to be neat and orderly, with each letter carefully sketched. But the end result resembled that of a very young child.

However, when combined with the earlier and similar odd messages, clues were eventually merged together to reveal one particular serious meaning. The poorly written notes with the misspelled words made one point very clear: something or someone who Steve McGarrett valued most, would disappear as payback for a perceived wrong-doing.

Handwriting, ink and paper analyses yielded little information. Fong brought in an analyst that could only say that the strength of the pen which inked each letter was very deep – the person was in a fury. Whoever the author was, it was likely to be a very angry and bitter individual. Someone who might have a distorted idea about what the definition of having true confidence meant and in reality was an egotist. A bully that would use manipulation and leverage power to boost their own self-esteem and overcome feelings of inadequacy.

So for many weeks, which eventually became several months, the Five-0 stayed watchful – even contacting Mary on the mainland and Cath who was on maneuvers. Each team member staying vigilant among themselves. But the notes ceased one day as quickly as they'd begun and they had no leads to follow. Finally when nothing happened, this last envelope was added to the pile of other threats Steve had received over the prior seven month period.

The threatening feeling lurked in the background but it eventually became stale and old. The _issue_ was tabled as other more immediate concerns took precedence and were actively handled by the team.

The _issue_ seemed over before it had even started, until that morning when one of the team didn't show up to work.

Twenty-four hours after that, the notes reappeared with a new more gleeful tone and the true game began.

_**~ to be continued ~**_


	2. Chapter 1

**I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. No copyright infringement intended.**

**H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* **

**Chapter 1**

He didn't understand why they suddenly left him. Alone. Completely alone. He laid on his bed and stared at the ceiling; entirely confused by the sudden change in events. He'd been catered to morning, noon and night. It hadn't been perfect of course and many times, he'd been in a great deal of pain and made to feel very ill.

Some of which _he _caused - his loyal doctor. With great apology as his patient moaned and retched uncontrollably under not so gentle hands.

Some of which, he was told, was also caused by the _other_ man. The dark-haired one they needed to make him forget - until _later_. And they were sorry; once again, so _very_ sorry. But to help him, they had to sometimes _hurt_ him.

_To make him forget._

He had come to accept that. Though it felt wrong and he vaguely remembered arguing and fighting. But belligerent refusal had only caused more crippling pain and terrible illness. Both raised to levels so high, he was sure that he would die. And once, he had even begged for that release. So he had eventually accepted their somewhat gentler treatments and _forgotten_. Wiped that name and what it stood for from his vocabulary and then from his mind. He was permitted to see the face only and then refer to that face by only one name. The name his loyal doctor had chosen. And he'd begun to despise it. Though he was told it would become important - _later_.

_He had finally accepted their means to an end._

He was told that his injuries had been life threatening but he would recover. That they were all tasked with making sure he did. In fact, he was well on that very positive and rewarding road. The confusing mix of pain and illness only meant he was still alive and that he was getting better. He had stopped trying to make sense of it. He had learned to be thankful for the days where he'd been somewhat functional and almost, but not quite, pain-free.

"_We would do anything for you_", _'We have your best interests in mind_", "_The governor assigned only the best medical staff to bring you back_."

He was being protected and nursed back to health in a safe house - a very private and very safe medical facility. He had blindly accepted that he was the only patient. Supposedly they were all keeping him very _safe_. And that particular four-letter word was stressed over and over.

"_We will keep you safe_."

So they had said.

Now they were gone.

He didn't even know when it had happened. Sometime in the night maybe? But they all had left and he had woken that very morning to find himself alone.

Everything and everyone was gone … except for the gun left by his beside table. Safety on, and fully loaded with one extra clip carefully placed next to it.

But he was alone.

_Only his best interest_s .. so they said.

_**~ to be continued ~**_


	3. Chapter 2

**I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. No copyright infringement intended.**

**H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* **

**Chapter 2**

He had no way to estimate the passage of time. All he knew was that the small supply of food was running low, as were the last few bottles of water. Danny was once again pacing what he believed to be the first floor of a small medical facility from front to back. He was trapped inside the windowless structure and all the doors were locked from the outside. He was not only alone, but he'd been locked in .. like a rat.

Nowhere to go and no way to escape. He was past worrying, having moved well into the first stages of paranoia. Unable to sleep, restlessly wringing his hands and fidgeting. At first believing he heard sounds, sometimes voices and now yelling at himself to _'just think .. think ..find a way out!"_

The phones that remained were dead. Computers had been ripped off desks, leaving only their cords hanging. And oddly, the file cabinets were empty of paper if they even had ever held something of importance. There were no documents of any kind in the main office.

He looked up now – startled that the fluorescent lights were beginning to flicker. Their incessant hum increased and then decreased with an annoying frequency. And it was happening everywhere as he hastily walked from small room to small room. And he couldn't bear the thought of being plunged into darkness. Left alone to die in a tomb .. like a rat.

Hungry and soon to be very thirsty .. in the dark, with nowhere to go.

The bank of ceiling lights in the main living area failed first and Danny panicked as the ventilation system also faltered. He flung himself bodily at the one main door his '_oh so very dedicated_' doctor had so often come and gone through. Bruising his shoulder and eventually sliding down the door in a tearful frustration. He could barely think anymore and was weakening from rationing what little food stuffs had been left in the small kitchen. The lights dimmed again in other rooms and this time took many seconds to come back on. Danny forced himself to his feet and staggered to his sterile bedroom where a tiny idea took shape in his mind.

"I can do that." Danny whispered to himself as he put hs hand on the mattress and nodded. As an idea, it wasn't half bad and he almost smiled. "I bet that could work."

The bed was of standard hospital issue and he basically started to tear it apart. Beginning with the pillows, sheets and blankets. Heaving the mattress to the side. Working his way down to the frame and then using a butter knife from the kitchen to pry the screws and bolts away. Finally, able to use the smallest of the metal struts as a crowbar.

With a firm set to his jaw as the lights dimmed threateningly in the hallway, he attacked the door again. Panting and cursing at it until he'd finally broken through the top hinges. Hurting his hands until they bled and bruising his shoulder again as he pushed and shoved where light and a bit of warmer air began to trickle in through the framework. The success fueling him on to break the remaining two hinges and finally, wedging the door open just enough to squeeze through.

He was laughing in relief as he made it out of the private facility deemed his _safe house_. But expecting salvation, Danny was shocked when he stumbled into the next room and it was not what he anticipated ... not even close.

He found himself in the middle of a filthy dilapidated warehouse with a high, shattered roof and a myriad of broken windows. There was a faint putrid odor of fish and sour seawater. Birds flew high in the rafters and a hot, humid wind whistled loudly through the cavernous interior. His laughter stopped suddenly as he looked around in confusion. Breathing hard and barely on his feet from the exertion of breaking free, Danny slowly turned around to look at where he'd come from. Stumbling backwards in astonishment until he could see the entire and very elaborate setup.

He had been in a box .. in yet another, larger box of sorts. Nauseous by the shock, he continued to shuffle back until he was standing in the doorway between life and death. His glassy eyes skittered from left to right and then back again to take in the prefabricated 'medical facility' completely unsure of what he was seeing. His one floored _safe house _of exceptionally dedicated medical care – the safe haven provided by the dear Governor of Hawaii. Two mobile trailers hitched together and then outfitted with generators to support the trapped _patient_ inside … trapped in an illusion. The lights and the ventilation system were failing because the power generators they were hooked up to on the outside of the two trailers were now ceasing to work.

Danny didn't know how long he stood there, holding his bruised shoulder with scratched hands that stung from the efforts to escape. He only moved when his body sensed the clean, fresh air ruffling his hair. He finally could smell the ocean and he closed his eyes against the surprising pain of the new sensations. He turned again and shuffled the few feet forward until his bare feet left the uneven and broken concrete of the old warehouse. Shadowing his eyes with his hand, he blinked into the blinding sunlight. White sands stretched in both directions for as far as his eyes could see. There were remnants of an ancient pier or dock now badly eroded by time and weather. And then miles of sparkling, blue ocean beyond that and he choked out a surprised, harsh gasp.

He stumbled forward into the sand and then just stopped as the warmth of the sun hit his starved face and the skin on his arms. It felt '_delicious'_ .. it was the only word he could think of as he lifted his face to the brilliant light. He couldn't remember when he'd last been outside to see the sky or feel the sun. But scarcely an hour later he was cursing that same brilliant sunlight as the heat washed over him and baked his dry lips. He'd walked as far as he dared and then turned back to return where he had come from.

Sinking to his knees in the shaded doorway of the abandoned warehouse, Danny didn't even have the strength left to feel anything. He sat there in a confused state of exhaustion. He'd escaped one prison only to be thrust into one of a different kind.

A box in yet, another box.

_**~ to be continued ~**_


	4. Chapter 3

**I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. No copyright infringement intended.**

**H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* **

**Chapter 3**

He remembered only fractured things. But the pain had been a constant and the fear of that pain stayed foremost in his mind. The pain had been overwhelmingly consistent and then so had the kindly very pale face of a nurse. He couldn't remember if she had a name but her face had floated above his head for weeks. Speaking words he didn't understand and dispensing medicines that alternated between making him feel better .. but oftentimes, much more ill.

There had been the _other _man too. He hadn't actually been there in the safe house. But his face haunted Danny's vision every day and every night exactly as the doctor intended. Dark, evil and always angry. He had once been a friend .. a dear, close friend and his doctor explained that he'd turned on him. Danny had been warned time and again, that he was dangerous and the reason he'd nearly died.

_He killed your friend._

_He hurt you._

_Then he left you._

_He abandoned you._

_And then he left you to die._

But as Danny looked up at the moon he added a sentence in a weak amazed whisper. "So did you."

But another memory came forward and Danny's breath caught in his throat. He remembered pain and the man had been there .. again taunting and laughing at his weakness. The pain had rolled off him again and again until he couldn't take it anymore. And another voice had shouted in his head .. to_ fix it_. _Fix it and be done with it, Daniel! _So while the evil man shouted and laughed - promising that he would be back to finish the job – to make sure he was also dead this time - Danny had pulled the trigger of the gun he didn't even know that he had been holding. He'd emptied the clip center mass and the pain had miraculously stopped.

There was the ever present strong memory of the female nurse hot on the heels of that success. Danny remembered bits and pieces of the kindly voice whispering words over and over again as she wrapped his fingers around the same gun he currently held. But her words were dangerous and her observations evil.

"_The pain's gone."_

"_You killed him. You can always kill him."_

_"Use the gun."_

"_If you kill him, the pain won't return."_

He narrowed his eyes as he flicked the gun's safety off, hefted the weapon in his hand, and sighted the moon. "Yes, if I saw you again .. I could do that. I would kill you." Since he'd gotten out of the trailer, the whispered voices had increased in their urgency and he needed for them to stop their furious urgings.

"If it makes this stop, I will kill him."

Danny slept on the beach in a restless daze, and the next morning he could barely walk as he re-entered the warehouse and gazed blankly at the pre-fabricated illusion. It was easier to have an idea of passing time now that he could see the sky and Danny estimated that it had been three days since he'd broken free. The food was gone. And he knew everything had been an illusion, but didn't understand still why they had left him. Why they too, had finally betrayed him .. like the dark haired man.

Out of habit or just because it made him feel better, Danny carried the gun everywhere he went on the small island. He had fired it once .. in a vain attempt to bring down a seagull, and he had missed. But he'd found at least the banana tree. That was something .. though he couldn't quite gather the energy to climb and had settled for the few fallen, brownish pieces of fruit.

Danny looked up with dull eyes as the sounds of the motorboat reached his ears. He was standing in the shade of the doorway to the warehouse mentally gauging his last half bottle of water and finishing a piece of browned banana. He swayed as a wave of dizziness washed over him and he closed his eyes to regain his balance and bite back the nausea. When he re-opened them, a figure was rushing towards him shouting his name over and over again.

"Hallucination." Danny muttered to himself as the heat from the sand shimmered and the running man seemed disembodied and moving as if in slow motion.

But as the image got closer, Danny saw that it was a man and he seemed to be very real. He choked out a shocked word and his arm flew up to point his weapon directly at the man's chest. The man rocked to a shocked halt, just yards away with both hands up in a sign of surrender.

"You!" Danny's voice was worn, wispy and so weak. It barely reached the new arrival's ears but he heard the tone .. the _hatred_. And he couldn't help but see the weapon that was aimed directly at him.

"Danny?" Steve whispered in stunned amazement. He'd received the message to come alone to the remote private island – _come alone, or else you won't like what you find_. The last printed word was 'CHECK MATE' and Steve knew it would be over with this last move. He would find Danny. The question was if he'd be dead or still alive.

And of course, Steve knew it was Morse pulling the strings; they all knew by now the identity of the man who had kidnapped Danny in order to taunt Steve – and he was once again laughing and teasing as he gave the rules for the final moves in his deadly game.

"_Well. You won't like what you find anyway. Just remember, it's your fault. It's always been your fault. You did this to yourself when you murdered my brother."_

The fact that Morse's identical twin brother killed a teller during a botched bank robbery was of little importance to the man. The two brothers had been very close - exact images of an evil mirror. Feeding off each other with a crime spree that had escalated over time to become more and more daring as they competed with each other. Had Steve shot and killed the brother? Yes, he had but in self defense and after the teller had already been grievously wounded. His twin had been calling the shots that day. Directing personally what proved to be a much too risky foray - for all intensive purposes, the job had simply been too big for the twins to handle.

But now, Steve had of course gone – alone and without his tac-vest just as Morse demanded since the criminal still liked his _games_. And this time, it finally _was_ Danny or what was left of him. Morse had never been so right in his life. Steve didn't like what he found as his eyes filled with tears and he stood in front of his emaciated, wasted friend. And now Steve completely understood. The kidnapping, threats of death, the terrible nature of Morse's game.

Retribution.

_A brother for a brother._ But Steve would also die at his own brother's hands. Perfect retribution.

"You did this to me." Danny muttered as he swayed unsteadily and adjusted his weak grip on the gun. The dark haired man was _real_ and standing directly in front of him. He was responsible for the terrible pain; and Danny wouldn't utter his name. _His_ name prompted the worst of all punishments. So he'd learned to call the dark haired man 'McGarrett' or 'him' just as the doctor demanded. Only _McGarrett_ and now Danny had his chance to be done with _him_ as the words whispered in his mind. They were in the voice of his nurse and she required that he do it.

_He hurt you._

_Then he left you._

_And then he left you to die._

"_Kill him. You can kill McGarrett."_

"_And the pain will stop."_

Steve watched in shock as Danny zoned out and then came back to the present. He was bruised and battered with days worth of bearded growth on his face. And he acted as if he didn't recognize Steve at all except as an enemy. He watched as Danny's hand dipped but then it was up again an instant later to take a determined aim at Steve's own chest.

"Danny .. let me help you. We've been looking for you for weeks. Over a month .. do you understand?"

There was no reaction as Steve tried to move closer. And as he took that first step, Danny shook his head and raised the gun higher. "I have to kill you."

"Danny .. do you know me?" Steve couldn't believe what he was hearing as he whispered the words. He tried to walk forward again, but was stopped by the menacing movement of the weapon in his direction.

"McGarrett." Danny spat out the word with a curt nod. "You did this. You're fault."

Steve backpedaled as Danny cocked the weapon. Just _McGarrett'_ not Steve. Said with a completely different and very dangerous tone with words that mimic'd those of Morse. Steve needed a new tact and desperately was grabbing at straws as he was rendered almost speechless. They had expected any number of scenarios, but none that might include brainwashing or whatever was happening now. Morse definitely liked _games_ and enjoyed toying with his foe by pulling out the unexpected. Bravely, Steve took the one step closer which caused Danny to shift in surprise against the door-frame.

"Okay, Danno. Kill me. I'm right here. Do it." The words caused an immediate confusion as his target spoke back and seemed to welcome what he planned to do. He wasn't laughing or taunting .. he was quiet and subdued. It suddenly wasn't the same as _in there _and Danny hesitated. It threw him off balance. And Steve could see the turmoil as it raced across Danny's face. So he pushed. Hard.

"Before you do, I have a message. Just one short message."

Danny narrowed his eyes as he licked his dry lips. In his head, the images of the man merged with that of the nurse and too much pain .. pain that he remembered as if it were yesterday .. it seemed real even though it flickered through only his mind. He feared failure. But his target was closer too than_ in __there_, and Danny could see the man's eyes very clearly. They were dark with sadness and a worried brooding, not hostile and except for what looked like a radio, he wasn't holding a weapon. Again, very different from _in there_. So Danny nodded once; he would listen to the message.

Steve winced at the hoarse sound to Danny's voice. So weak .. so desperately exhausted and uncaring. "Say it."

"Gracie. Gracie told me to tell you that she needs her Danno. I told her that I would find you .. bring you home."

The turmoil changed immediately to rage and Steve almost stumbled backwards as a shot rang out. The sand directly in front of his right boot flew into the air and he heard another bullet drop immediately into the chamber.

"You're lying. She's dead .. they .. he..showed me pictures of her body. The obituary. There was a funeral. She's dead!" Danny's eyes filled with tears as he lurched to his full height to stand confidently in front of the man. His teeth were gritted as he fought for control and growled warningly at Steve. "You're lying!"

"Oh god. Danny no." Steve held his hands out again with his palms open. Morse had unraveled every piece of Danny's existence and used a child to cover more bases than he'd thought possible. And now witnessing Danny's emotional rage, Steve wasn't sure how he could convince him, but he tried as Danny took aim.

"She's not. Gracie's been safe this entire time. I promise you."

He took a chance then as he pulled his sat-phone out of where it hung off his belt. Morse hadn't exactly forbidden a radio and Steve's body also hid his knife, as well as a fully loaded handgun and a second in a small holster down by his left boot. He was desperate but not stupid … and he'd needed to load the dice in his favor for a change.

"I'll prove it." Steve's voice was gentle and kind as he said the words. Quiet, and pleading for any remnants left of trust. "Danny, let me prove it."

A bit of hope re-kindled in Danny's heart as Steve called someone. He would allow this ridiculous move but then he would kill the dark haired man. He was breathing hard, almost panting as he heard the familiar male voice. _Chin_? But that couldn't be right, he had been told that Chin was also dead. Killed when McGarrett abandoned him as well. Just like he had abandoned Danny. But the tinny voice filled him with new doubts about everything he'd been told, and Danny leaned heavily against the door frame just to stay upright.

"_Steve! Did you find him? Did you find Danny? Is he .. alive?" _Chin. Far away but stuttering and anxious as he asked about him. And Danny wavered again at a distant memory. He grabbed his head as if in pain and moaned in confusion as he began to shake. Everyone had left him and yet Chin could be alive after all this time? And if Chin .. what of Grace? Steve watched Danny closely but didn't dare move forward.

"Yeah. But there's a problem. Start moving to this location. I"m sure it's a trap so use caution. But get Grace on the line .. _now_ .. immediately. Patch her through."

There was a delay where Steve felt as if he were holding his breath for an eternity until finally the small voice rang through. Except for the tremor, Danny was motionless as he stared at the sat-phone. The gun was still aimed directly at Steve's chest. But he jolted when Grace's voice burst the silence.

"_Uncle Steve? Did you find Danno?"_

"It's a lie." Danny whimpered as his eyes widened in shock as his daughter's voice reached his ears. First Chin and now Grace .. it had to be a lie; another elaborate illusion.

"Gracie. Yes, I have Danno here .. can you say hi to him, sweetie?" Steve held the sat-phone out and waggled it in Danny's direction as he took a few more cautious steps forward. "Talk to your daughter."

"_Daddy? Are you okay? Uncle Steve promised that he would find you …_" Grace's voice broke into tiny pieces as sobs filled the sandy beach.

"_Danno?_"

"_Uncle Steve? He's not there!"_

"It's Grace?" Danny's eyes were glued to the phone but he couldn't move as a wave of dizzy relief grayed his vision and he fought to stay on his feet. With an effort, he made his mouth work while Steve pressed the 'talk' button and motioned for him to speak.

"Grace? Yes … I'm .. here. Gracie!"

The happy cries through the phone finally brought Danny to his knees but he held the gun tightly, nesting it in his lap. He looked at the dark-haired man in total bewilderment. "It's Grace." The man nodded and a smile spread across his face as he gently calmed Danny's daughter. He listened as the man swore that he would bring Danno home that very day. But his heart thudded in his chest when Grace kept saying '_Uncle Steve_'.

The forbidden name. _Steve_, _Five-0_. It finally came to mind and Danny flinched in a real fear at the same time. He pushed it all down as he'd learned. The punishment for using the name – for even _thinking_ it – that pain had been overwhelming and he had sworn never to say it aloud again.

But Danny tried to say it now as part of him rebeled; he tried hard but his tongue stumbled over it in fear. And what finally came out was only a harshly garbled sound. Something that sounded like _Steve_ but it was full of a wounded fright. The dark-haired man, McGarrett …rushed to his side as Danny lurched forward to fall almost face down into the sand. To catch him up in an enveloping hug. Danny cringed again waiting for the pain to descend.. any thoughts or words of _Steve_, his past life, or _Five-0_ resulted in immediate, harsh and very painful punishment.

And he still wasn't entirely convinced that what was happening was true or even real … it could all still be a terrible trick. Danny remembered the pain and he struggled weakly against the embrace but Steve wouldn't let go.

"No. Let me go. They'll come back." Danny whispered in fear. "It hurts too much. He'll be back. I can't do it again .. I can't."

"I won't let him." Steve murmured soothingly, his own few tears fell as he looked into the depths of the old warehouse. Over Danny's shoulder he could see the two trailers hitched together. And then the door that Danny had broken off its hinges in order to escape the pre-fabricated torture rooms which lay beyond the dark opening.

Steve's voice was unwavering as he held his friend and planned Morse's demise.

"I swear to god, Danny. I will not let that maniac hurt you again. We're going home. Today."

_**~ to be continued ~**_


	5. Chapter 4

**I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. No copyright infringement intended.**

**Notes: thank you all for the great reviews. I'm doing my best to get back to each of you. **

**H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* **

**Chapter 4**

Steve looked up with undisguised hostility as the jet black helicopter flew aggressively towards them. It was coming in low and fast directly over the motorboat he'd just arrived in - and through hooded eyes, Steve could see the exterior gun mounts.

Morse had been waiting .. _waiting_ to see if his special creation had come through. No doubt Steve knew that was going to happen - a trap was fully anticipated; but a specialized helicopter was just a bit more than he'd expected. Their intent was clear as bullets rained down on the motorboat and the engine burst into flames. Having Steve pilot a simple motorboat as far as he did proved that Morse intended his trip to be but one way. He watched it burn with an impassive expression as he raced through options in his head. Chin was close and already on the way too with the Army National Guard and Steve only needed to give them less than the eight minutes needed to get his location.

Practically carrying his weakened and distraught partner into the warehouse and then back towards the trailers; Steve didn't bother looking over his shoulder as another volley of shots rang up the beach in their direction. They were intentionally being herded back into the warehouse.

"Up, Danny. Come on."

"No. Not there. Not back .. in _there_." He had only gone back in one time for the gun and for the blankets from his old hospital bed. And then …never again. So now Danny put his free hand on Steve's chest to push away as they approached the broken door to the trailer. His other hand was clamped tightly around the grip of his gun and Steve grimaced since he'd rather disarm him for the time being. But he had other more immediate problems as Danny started to put up a fight and the helicopter circled back towards the building.

"Can't .. won't go back in .. _there_." He was struggling harder now, fighting once more to get away and Steve cursed as his hold slipped and Danny fell to one knee. He wrapped both arms around the quaking shoulders and closed his eyes to use up precious minutes to just think. Danny was a mess and he'd just gotten him back after five weeks of a dangerous cat and mouse game of wills.

"Okay. Okay, easy. I'll find another place. Chin will be here soon." He just needed a few more minutes as a hail of bullets strafed the warehouse roof sending pieces of material raining down on them.

"There." Steve shouted over the noise and he pointed so Danny's fearful eyes could follow his intent. It was an old interior office space in one far back corner of the warehouse. Windows long ago broken in and the door was missing, but the small room had at least three decent walls and what looked like a reinforced ceiling.

"Can you manage that?" He paused to gauge Danny's condition as he weakly fisted Steve's shirt in a panic and refused to give up the gun. Steve had never been so angry in his life as Danny heaved in his arms with such complete indecision. Placing his forehead against Danny's own, Steve willed them both to just breathe and settle as the deafening sounds of a helicopter landing echoed through the near empty warehouse.

He whispered low and soothingly as Danny sagged in his hands. "Think about Grace. We're going home." That was enough as Danny stilled and took a tighter hold of Steve's shirt. But his face was etched in fear and doubt as his eyes skidded towards the sounds on the beach. The helicopter was indeed landing and that could only mean the doctor had returned.

"Don't leave." The whispered plea tore at Steve and he pulled back to give Danny a small shake.

"Hey. Look at me. Grace is seeing her daddy _tonight _and in one whole, live piece." Without waiting for an answer, Steve dragged Danny to his feet and got them both to the office just as Morse came through the door with three armed mercenaries. He was holding a small box in both hands.

"Where are you my dear Detective .. we have something to _discuss _about your medical condition. A reminder of sorts. Seems you need another dose." The loud voice purred menacingly.

"Come out. You can't hide. You should know that … by now."

Steve growled low as Danny melted into the floor behind him and he turned quietly to make sure he was between his partner and any potential dangerous lines of sight. They hadn't seen the small office yet and Steve watched as the three man fanned out along the trailers. He smiled dangerously when he realized Morse assumed they'd retreated to the fake medical building.

"I got this D. I promise nothing's going to happen." But Danny wasn't listening as he slammed his hands over his ears and rocked on his knees. The softly chanted litany of '_can't, can't, can't_" only serving to fuel Steve's own rage as his partner became completely incapacitated.

He tried to gently distract Danny as the faint sounds of a second and then a third helicopter could be heard approaching from the south. At Steve's anxious bequest, the Governor had supported mobilizing the Army National Guard for what he hoped would be a rescue. Chin would be with them now and Steve tried to smile reassuringly.

"Hear that Danny? Those two are ours .. it's Chin .. you're going home. You're going to see Gracie."

"_Lying_." The doctor was back and Danny scuttled away from Steve and back towards the main floor of the warehouse. He never should have allowed McGarrett to touch him and bring him back into the warehouse. And now they were together and hiding. He had _failed _an important test and was still unable to shoot. The pounding reverberating noises had the opposite reaction as fear replaced reason. His eyes were wide as the sounds grew and Steve lurched towards him as Danny staggered to his feet. But then Steve had to hit the floor as shots rang out around the small office.

Danny's sudden movement had drawn the attention of Morse and his men away from the trailers. The frenetic chant had been replaced with a docile monotone and Danny was already out in the open; shuffling once more towards his kidnappers and his dazed eyes were anchored on the small box in Morse's hands. He was sure now this had all been yet another test and he had _failed_. Unable to pull the trigger, he resigned himself to what would come next.

"Doc's .. here. "

Steve stayed down as another round of shots peppered the office and he was forced to stay that way as Morse shouted for his men to cease fire. All the time, Danny merely walked towards them with his own weapon dangling uselessly by two fingers. Estimating the distant sounds, Chin was three minutes out from the island .. three minutes would be plenty of time to do any number of things, including taking Danny away from them yet again. And Steve simply wasn't going to allow that to happen.

"Ah, there you are." Morse called out, as Danny shuffled forward. "Where's McGarrett? Have you done your job? Or perhaps he's merely injured? Did you succeed .. or fail ... my friend?"

"He's not your friend." Steve growled as he boldly stood from the shadows. "And Morse, what would that be? This _job_? I want to hear it because it's not going to work." He was directly behind Danny, but his friend was just out of reach. Two minutes he counted in his head as the sounds increased and Morse's men became restless and edgy. Their boss took too many risks and his own greed would be the cause of all of their undoing.

One of them glanced uneasily up to the broken roof where he could just see broken pieces of sky. "Sir? They're almost here .. it's too close."

"Don't act so surprised. We all knew McGarrett would have his own plan. It's part of the game - part of the fun." Morse glowered at the warning; he had hoped that at least McGarrett would be wounded and at best, already dead. He narrowed his eyes at Danny trying to gauge why his creation hadn't done its job .. yet. He was also intrigued that Danny had gotten out of the trailers only making the pending confrontation even more exciting. But, while it was true that Danny was barely on his feet, he was still holding his weapon. So why hadn't the deed yet been done? Part of him was excited by how things were unfolding, but another was disappointed that McGarrett was standing in front of him completely unscathed. His men took aim at both Steve and Danny, who now rocked to an uncertain stop and Morse held up his hand to stay their actions.

"You will hold fire. Do _**not**_ shoot them." Morse murmured quietly before he addressed his creation. "He has to do it. He needs to do it as personal payback for my brother. I've waited much too long to see this day."

Unhappily, the mercenaries lowered their weapons and took a few short steps back, while Morse took one aggressive step forward and opened the box to show three vials and one syringe. Steve scowled since Danny was not only in the open, but directly in the middle of his own line of sight and his fingers were already tickling the gun he had hidden near his hip.

The crazed man grinned as he called out a particular warning. "Daniel. You _failed_."

The three damaging words coursed through Danny's body and Steve nearly choked as his friend physically cowered. But Morse nearly crowed in delight at the response to his next demand and his men backed away slowly. Yes, this would be much more exciting then finding both men dead in the trailers; he would not only be able to see the final end game, but would orchestrate it personally.

His mercenaries though were now uneasy about the closeness of the authorities and the risks Morse continued to take. But he had to see his creation in action .. he had to be sure McGarrett was finished at the hands of his best friend. Holding the box high and showing Danny the drugs, Morse threatened him.

"Fix it. Or else."

Steve watched in dismay as Danny slowly turned to face him .. barely able to stand upright in the middle of the filthy floor. Eyes shattered and shoulders slumped in defeat as he was forced to act against someone who had once again become the enemy. He watched in horror as Danny pointed his weapon directly at Steve's own chest. And this time, even weakened there would be no way for Danny to miss.

"Danny." Steve whispered once and just loud enough for his friend to hear the soft words. "Grace needs you at home. I promised her that I would find you."

The pale blue eyes blinked rapidly but he flinched as Morse snarled even louder. Morse shouted the command again as his men backed towards the door. All three looking at the sky as two Army helicopters approached the beach.

"Fix it Daniel. Fix it _**now**_."

"Sir!" One hissed in warning as the first Guard chopper slowed to land; their own pilot was gesturing wildly for them to come now as his airspace window became smaller with every passing second. "There's no time!"

Danny cringed and then swayed on his feet as the sounds echoed through the warehouse. And the man behind him was screaming now. "Do as I say .. you _**failed**_. You know what happens when you _**fail**_. So get. It. Done. Now."

Steve froze as Danny paled significantly at the threat and then needed to use both shaking hands to cock and aim the weapon. He would shoot this time and should have when McGarrett arrived on the beach. This would not ever be like the first time. That first time when Danny had '_failed'._ When he had dared to refuse to shoot at the life-sized target of McGarrett in the 'play area'. He'd been beaten first, starved and then drugged out of his mind for days. He nearly had died and had woken to find that Grace had also been killed in a car accident. The graphic pictures, the obituary and then a video of a private service. "_No, you can't attend. You're not well enough and still in danger_." And then he had nearly died again as blow after blow crumpled him. In fact, Morse had almost gone too far in his own irate fury, but he wouldn't allow him to die and Danny hadn't failed after that .. shooting immediately and without hesitation every time Morse yelled '_fix it Daniel. Get it don_e." So Danny cringed as the psychotic man screamed at him and he remembered the debilitating pain and loss.

But he had heard Grace just a short time ago; they had briefly spoken. And now he was equally confused as McGarrett and the doctor argued .. again, so very different and not the same as _in there_.

"He'll do it. Hurts." Danny whispered so softly that Steve almost couldn't hear him speak. His voice was filled with a terrified agony as he wanted to believe he was truly saved and that he had heard Grace's voice. But the doubt was now winning. "I can't .. Please."

"Not any more Danno." Hands wide, Steve only spoke to Danny as time stopped around them. Morse's angered shouting faded into the background as his eyes welled with unshed tears.

"We found you. Grace is not dead. You heard her voice. It's not a lie. We need to go home and you need to see your daughter." The hand wavered again, but this time the gun pointed down just a fraction away from Steve's chest. "Danny. Let's go home."

He tore his eyes off the muzzle of the gun to look into Danny's own and he almost smiled in disbelief as they shared a look around the blatant fear. The briefest of nods as Danny bit his lip, drawing blood and then pushed all of his failing energy and last strands of trust into one final action. He suddenly turned, took three deliberate steps forward, and emptied his clip directly into Morse before falling to the ground.

Steve had pulled his weapon out from its hidden holster with one smooth move to begin firing as soon as Danny turned, hitting two of the guards immediately and sending the third skidding out the door but directly into the waiting arms of Chin and several Guardsmen. Seconds later he was shielding Danny with his own body as he scouted the area for Morse, realizing that Danny had found his mark. There was a definite blood trail leading into the pre-fabricated rooms.

"Trailer!" Steve shouted and used hand signals to indicate that Chin and the support team needed to take down the man inside. "He's hit. Possibly armed."

"Hey." The whisper was faint, barely audible as Danny lay spent on the ground and by some miracle, hadn't been hit by any bullets himself. He was still choking back fear and wondering if he'd made the right choice as he clutched at Steve's hand. He was so alarmingly pale and had lost so much weight, Steve's stomach churned as he fought against his rage.

"Not going anywhere. Just home." Steve's eyes were glassy as he stressed the last word and distant shouts of "_clear_" rang out from the interior of the pre-fab. From their tone, he knew that Morse was already dead. The terrible game was over and Steve gathered Danny into his arms as the man began to shake in earnest.

"Gracie wants her Danno and I made a promise." But then Steve couldn't help himself as he rocked his friend and waited for the medics to be cleared to enter. "I'm so sorry. This was entirely my fault. But you're going home now and we'll make it right."

_**~ to be continued ~**_


	6. Chapter 5

**I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. No copyright infringement intended.**

**Notes: sorry for being so lax in getting back to the kind reviews. Work is VERY busy this week and it's hard to balance everything. As consolation, the chapter is posted and I hope you like it. But seriously, thank you all for the wonderful and very generous reviews!**

**H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* **

**Chapter 5**

"Don't leave." Danny kept whispering the words repeatedly. Even though he'd found the courage and strength to act, Danny was still afraid. He'd killed Morse and yet he was still afraid. His reasonable nature warred against his battle-weary and abused body; understanding that he was safe but still being completely reactive. A part of him was still _afraid_ it was a dream or another trick used to test him and where he'd be punished for failing.

They were all seated together in one of the choppers and he was clinging to Steve to stay sitting upright as one medic did his best to calmly assess if Danny had any immediate injuries and take his vital signs. He was exhausted and desperately wanted to lie down but was unable to tamp down all of his fears. It was clear that he was still confused, afraid everything around him wasn't real and he'd be whisked back into "_there_". He was also overwhelmed by the sheer volume of new activity taking place around him. He'd been alone for days and suddenly three helicopters and what looked like the entire Army National Guard had swarmed the small sandy beach. A stray caustic thought entered his head as the well-armed military men secured the area, but he was either unwilling or unable to voice it.

"_Nothing in halves, eh Rambo?_" And then it was gone as the medic in front of him rummaged through his kit and he shifted away as medical equipment was brought out.

"Are you sure?" Danny whispered this time, as he watched every move the man made. His body was also betraying him as it shook uncontrollably from the extreme stress it had been through. Barely able to make his muscles move, he was buffered against Steve with Chin at his side. And Steve's words were short and clipped; testament to the angry concern he felt for his partner's condition. His only goal now was to get Danny home and the medical care he needed. And Chin also had the small box that Morse carried so that the vials of liquid could be tested for their contents.

"Positive. He's dead. You did it yourself. You saw his body."

In fact, Steve had insisted after Danny more than balked about getting in the chopper. He had unzipped the morgue bag and shown Danny the dead man, plus two of the three mercenaries. Four of Danny's own bullets had hit Morse, leaving bloody wounds from his left clavicle and then diagonally down through his ribcage. He'd bled out in minutes in the recesses of his faked medical office. But after being moved no less than three times, Danny's last ride to the private island had been by helicopter with his _dedicated_ medical staff. With his own _personal doctor_; wracked by fever and pain. Heavily drugged as the mental and physical torture continued and the brainwashing worsened. He constantly needed proof as doubt threatened to overtake each small claim of victory to restore his confidence and Chin's eyes now warned Steve to soften his tone.

Chin was critical to keeping Danny's wavering trust and he leaned over now to put his hand gently on the trembling knee as the Army helicopter finally left the beach. The gesture was meant to be kind, but Danny reflexively pulled away at the touch. To Chin's benefit, he chose to ignore the response and settled his hand back on Danny's leg where this time it stayed.

"He was already down and bleeding out from where you got him." Chin smiled gently as he patted Danny's knee. "You didn't leave me much to take care of except to get him ready for Max."

The National Guard medic was moving slowly and deliberately across from where they sat. In fact, Corporal Evan Simpson, Army National Guard, had to refrain from running his fingers over the bruise blossoming on his cheekbone. His patient was skittish at best and a simple attempt at taking the man's blood pressure had resulted in quite the reaction. Evan sat back on his heels and studied the Detective, trying to determine what he might be able to do with the least amount of stress.

Steve solved the question by pointing to the blood pressure cuff and Evan held his breath as he pulled it back out to slowly wrap it around Danny's upper arm. As recently witnessed first hand, the restrictive black material could be problematic and Evan could definitely feel the all too new swelling on his own face. The colors would undoubtedly be spectacular by the following day.

"Detective, are you okay?" Evan quietly asked when Danny merely stared at him this time. "Because if you are, I just want to record your blood pressure and take your pulse. It's important."

But there was no reply and the medic patiently waited for some kind of signal from the Commander who frowned and then nodded. It was obvious to everyone that the Detective was barely able to cope with the sudden change of events. Weeks of lies, intense pain and abusive mistrust needed to be corrected and healed. The Commander and Chin Ho Kelly were currently the only two that the man might listen to. And it had just taken an excruciating amount of patience and understanding just to get him into the chopper for transport off the private island.

"In fact .." Evan dared to position his stethoscope at the base of the cuff, "I'll tell you step by step what I'm doing and you can tell me to stop at any time." The medic kept talking as he fastened the cuff and slowly pumped up the device. With a quick, practiced ease the readings were recorded but the cuff remained in place. "I'd like to do that every fifteen minutes."

Another nod from Steve had Chin squirming uncomfortably and Evan actually hesitating. But the Commander's expression clearly said that he was ready and would handle any fall-out should it happen. So the medic readied an I.V. of plain fluids while Steve physically pulled Danny closer, partly for support and half as restraint as they all sensed the rising panic.

"Evan's okay. It's just fluids and you're badly dehydrated. Will you let him do it?"

"I don't know." Danny breathed out suddenly after being silent for many minutes. He rallied his flagging strength for the blood pressure reading but needles and an I.V. were things he wasn't sure he could handle. "I'm not sure."

The medic backed off completely although the supplies remained at the ready. He clearly would do whatever Danny was comfortable with; his cheek tingled with a warm ache as his tongue found a small cut on the inside of his lip from a tooth.

"We can wait." Evan murmured quietly. But the situation was overwhelming and Danny simply couldn't make the decision. Steve shifted next to him as Chin carefully helped to unfurl his right arm. Without saying a word, Chin took the antiseptic wipes from the medic and wiped the grime away from Danny's arm until a section was completely clean. His easy smile was genuine as he encouraged Danny to allow the triage to continue.

"Let's try. We'll do it together." He looked to Evan once and the man moved methodically to show Danny the small needle with the bag and waited before moving ahead.

"It's just fluids." Steve promised as the medic searched for a difficult vein and then carefully inserted the line to begin the bagged drip. Danny was shaking badly and his hands were ice cold, but he hadn't moved or objected as Evan handed Chin two pieces of tape to secure the area to keep the port from moving.

"That's it." Chin repeated, pleased at the small victory and Evan smiled in approval.

"Thank you. We're just trying to help." Danny blinked in shock at the simple thanks and managed a small sound. _Different_. There had been no pain or threats. He knew he'd made the right choice in the warehouse but continually had to force himself to relax. McGarrett wouldn't lie. It was an innate truth that he needed to believe in. And Chin was proof. Grace was proof and Danny drew in a shuddering breath. On the exhale he breathed out one simple word.

"Sorry."

He was trying harder than anyone could possibly know to control the fearful panic as the elastic band circled his upper arm for the medic to find a vein. It took time to slide the needle under his skin and he'd begin to feel nauseous. But the medic had been gentle and Chin an anchor. He was fighting an internal war against himself as both Chin and McGarrett gently took over. But McGarrett only chuffed softly into his lank filthy hair after his apology. And Chin gently rubbed the same arm where the I.V. now successfully ran to begin replenishing desperately needed fluids. And Danny knew that McGarrett's angry grimace was meant for the bruises. For the obvious signs of much too recent poorly inserted intravenous lines that had been used to dispense more dangerous cocktails of drugs.

Steve sighed sadly at the apology. It had taken over an hour to get Danny into the chopper and then agree to the most basic of triage. Inside his soul, he felt like ripping the helicopter apart from nose to tail. But he remembered what Chin had just silently warned him about with his tone, so he could only say one thing now as he rubbed his hand over his face.

"You don't have a blessed thing to be sorry for Danny."

It was all _different. _Danny had made the right choice when he remembered McGarrett and the last strands of blind trust broke free to the surface. He had allowed himself the victory against Morse. Those words began to repeat in Danny's mind as the real truth while he closed his eyes and sagged wearily down. He knew he should be fine. He shouldn't be having so much trouble with Morse now dead. He had every right to feel relieved as they left the island and the pre-fabricated trailers behind but he couldn't find that place inside himself yet. They were forty-five minutes out from the base. From there, they would go directly to the hospital. And Steve quietly began to explain this to Danny in order to help him keep calm. But it back-fired and had the opposite effect as Steve felt the ragged breathing begin through the much too thin frame huddled up against him.

"No." Wheezing started on the heels of the plea and Evan immediately placed an oxygen mask on the wan face. And then he had to fight past the frightened hand that tried instantly to yank it off.

Chin leaned over worriedly as Steve gently cursed what he thought had been a good idea. The constant backpedaling was exhausting unto itself and Steve was upset as each task became a struggle. He fought to keep his voice down as he bit back his growing frustration. "Damn it, Danny. We need to get you checked out."

"No, he needs to calm down." Evan stated blatantly as Chin took his place to hold the mask. "His pulse is too rapid, and he's beginning to hyperventilate."

Danny's eyes were tightly screwed shut as the trembling increased and his breathing became harsh and erratic. And this time, he was unable to conquer the spontaneous reaction. Another hospital .. another _medical_ facility .. more _doctors_.

"_We will keep you safe_."

_"Only your best interest_s."

And Danny simply couldn't do it. Moving quickly while Danny was sandwiched between his two friends, Evan took the chance to listen to the pounding heart through his stethoscope.

"Detective. Slow breaths for me. Nice and deep." But he grimaced as things began to spiral out of control and he gave Steve a worried warning. "Commander."

"Fine" And Chin voiced his agreement as Steve urgently whispered through Danny's panic. "Fine. Okay. Change in plans. Forget it. I made a mistake. We'll go directly to my place; no hospital. We'll get you cleaned up and then you'll see Gracie right away. No hospital."

"Take it easy, Danny." Chin's words echoed the sentiment as he held the oxygen mask in place. "We're not going to force you to go anywhere."

It took a few minutes for the words to sink in and for Danny's breathing to steady. Steve continued speaking because Danny did need medical attention and he was determined to make some kind of headway. His condition was fairly serious and Steve needed him to compromise bit by agonizingly slow bit. Call it tough-love or just plain temper, but Steve was going to have a few concessions of his own.

"But I'm going to ask something of you." Steve waited a few minutes as another part of his plan materialized. Chin's eyes were questioning and Steve held up one finger asking him to wait as he explained.

"Evan's going to help because I know you trust him now." He was pushing the word 'trust' and definitely knew it .. but Steve needed a trained medical professional and Evan was going to have to be 'it' for the time being.

"Here's what I need." His eyes remained closed as he panted under the oxygen mask, but Steve knew that he was listening. He also knew that he was fighting for control as tremors racked his body. Steve silently welcomed the firm set to his jaw; Danny was at least fighting and he'd win. "I need you to let Evan come along too."

The medic's eyes widened in surprise but he huffed in agreement and Steve allowed himself a small grin. "Evan's going to come to my place. Just to settle you in, keep the I.V. going, and to help make sure you're okay. You need to let him do that."

And then Steve simply waited him out. Saying nothing as Danny won control and beat down a few of the demons; eventually giving a soft agreeable murmur.

"Good. Okay." Steve caught Chin's concerned expression and added a few words. They both knew it was going to be a long fight to get on solid ground. "You're going home to see Grace. Everything's going to be fine."

The three men heaved a collective sigh of relief as Danny settled significantly. He was warring with himself against what he'd been programmed for on a daily basis for weeks. He had a chance at having his life back. He wanted it back and McGarrett promised him that he would have it. And things were _different_. Plus he'd kill Morse and he'd seen the body himself. And that was the most shockingly _different_ thing of all.

And then of course, there were Chin and Grace. He'd heard Grace's voice and had even briefly spoken to her. Of them all, that lie had damaged him the most. Danny had given up his will to live after seeing the photographs, reading the obituary and seeing the short televised clip of the funeral. And then he would have killed himself after destroying his target. This of course had been Morse's plan from the very beginning. Retribution and then the self-sacrifice of his creation.

But all of those plans had been built around an elaborate illusion; everything had been a lie since McGarrett hadn't abandoned him. And Chin was not dead either and Danny glanced over to where Chin was now sitting by his side. Chin offered him a reassuring smile as he held the oxygen mask in place against Danny's face.

"McGarrett .. he didn't kill you?" _No Danny,_ this as an almost exasperated chuckle from Chin. But Chin saw Steve wince at both the question and then the use of his last name. So removed .. sounding so _cold_ but now not actually meaning for it to be as the tone wasn't angry or full of hate. It was a mere statement of fact.

But he turned to Steve with a searching look to ask his next questions.

"You didn't leave." His voice was muffled and wispy under the mask, but clear. _Nope, obviously not_ came the soft and very insulted reply from Steve.

"And Grace .. she's not .. dead. Those pictures …the video." _Definitely not_, the affirmation was happy and proudly stated by both men in unison. But once more, Steve shared a stunned look with Chin. Anger once again filling his eyes. _Pictures_? _Video? _They would return to the private island with a complete forensics team to understand what exactly had gone on. But Danny's own eyes had begun to close as the last of his adrenalin waned and Chin moved to drape a blanket around his upper body.

_Not abandoned. _

_Not left to die. _

_No longer left alone – discarded in a box, that had yet been immersed inside another box. _

_Lie upon lie. Illusion upon illusion._

Danny was now leaning heavily into Steve as he began to doze and he vaguely felt him shift so that his head was pillowed on Steve's thigh. Evan moved his arm so the IV wouldn't snag uncomfortably. But he opened his eyes in alarm as his legs were lifted. Chin was positioning him so that he could lay flat along the bench seat and making a grand show of spreading the rest of the blanket down to cover his bare feet.

"You're cold." Was the simply stated explanation and Danny chanced a smile which was gladly returned. A second blanket followed the first and he sank down under their combined warmth as McGarrett's soothing hum reached his ears.

"Rest now. It's over."

"Cargo's." Danny muttered as his eyes jolted open suddenly and he saw the many pockets on the dark pants. "Always with the damned cargo's."

Steve huffed in surprise and his amazed eyes met Chin's own who began to laugh at the soft complaint. The familiar joke made them both grin and Steve almost laughed as he stammered out the first thing that came to mind.

"Wore them just for you Danno."

_**~ to be continued ~**_


	7. Chapter 6

**I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. No copyright infringement intended.**

**Notes: thank you to CinderH for such great help and beta support. And to everyone's wonderful words!**

**H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* **

**Chapter 6**

Kono was anxiously waiting for them with HPD, emergency vehicles and an ambulance when the two helicopters landed. The third, Morse's own, was piloted by a Guardsman to a different base location. But it was now well into evening and the lights were flashing on the emergency vehicles and the ambulance crew stood at the ready with their gurney. The medical examiner van was also there for its morbid packages of Morse's own body and those of the two mercenaries. The third hired mercenary had already been taken into custody, along with the pilot of Morse's own helicopter. Steve was openly hostile towards them as he watched their tight escort. He was looking forward to introducing them to the balance of the Five-0 team.

But his attention was drawn back to Danny who was becoming more worked up by the minute.

"No." One word, said in a choked whisper as Danny's fingers tightened once again in Steve's shirt and he stared at the crazily moving flashes of light. He had slept for the final thirty minutes of flight time but had become restless, finally awakening with an uneasy gasp as he sensed their approach.

"Yup. You're right. We'll wait here until they go." Steve replied lightly as he deflected the pang of doubt. And with a calming smile, Evan hopped out of the chopper and paused to address Danny.

"They're going to leave Detective. I'm telling them now .. myself. They're only here because we didn't inform them about our change in plans to go to the Commander's residence." Danny stiffly watched Evan jog towards the two medics and Kono. The conversation was short and the EMT's gave the Corporal additional supplies from their own stash. Danny eventually relaxed when the gurney was returned and the doors slammed shut. But he calmed and only agreed to get out of the chopper after the ambulance was long gone and he could see Steve's truck parked near the gates.

"Can you walk Danny?" Steve asked the question softly as Kono jogged back with Evan, their arms full of more supplies. Chin gave her a meaningful look to take things slow, but Danny's ragged condition had her already stumbling to a halt.

"What the hell happened? What did he do to him?" She started to blurt the words in a stunned outrage as she barely recognized the rumpled man in front of her. "Danny!"

"That good, huh?" Danny whispered with a hint of an uncertain smile, as she dropped the medical supplies at Evan's feet and pulled him into a tight hug.

She laughed into his shoulder to hide a sob as he tentatively returned the embrace. "Honestly, I don't care what you look like. I mean .. obviously I do. Care I mean. You look terrible!" And Chin rolled his eyes behind Danny as he playfully smacked his cousin on the head.

"Stop before you really say something stupid."

Their were tears in her eyes as she stood back and shook her head. "We missed you." Danny was smiling though as she held him at arm's length to angrily scowl over his appearance. "You're too thin. Are you okay?"

He was nodding at all of her comments until Steve interrupted. Danny was fading quickly and he'd caught Evan's eye. The medic wanted the patient off his feet and settled much sooner, rather than later. "Hey Kono." She glanced worriedly to Steve as he welcomed her and motioned to his truck. "Can you bring my truck closer so he doesn't have to walk so far? We're going to my place to get cleaned up."

"And .. Grace." Danny whispered as he struggled to stay upright and then sagged as his vision grayed around the edges. "Not so fast." Steve murmured as he caught Danny's weight into his shoulder and fixed the blankets around his upper body. Evan had complained about his patient's low blood pressure for much of the trip back which was causing dizziness and nausea. And Danny trembled now from also being cold in the night air.

"Yeah, and see Grace. In fact, once we get settled in the truck, we're going to call her again and let her know you're home." Steve rummaged quickly through the backpack Chin had brought with him and pulled out two cell phones. Thumbing one on, he handed it to Danny who cradled it in both hands as Grace's face lit the screen.

"Might as well use your own phone, Danny." He took the phone .. something he couldn't last remember ever seeing or even being allowed to use. He had once asked to call Rachel after he'd been told of their daughter's death. Again, denied since he was in danger and no one was willing to risk his well-being. In fact, Rachel had already moved back to the mainland and his good doctor didn't know how to contact the Edwards. A call could place her in danger as well.

"_Do you want that too Daniel? To place your ex-wife and her small son in danger_?" His hand shook now as he remembered the doctor's parting words after he'd been given a strong sedative. "_It's better this way, trust me."_

Seconds later, Kono was back with Steve's truck and everyone helped Danny ease out and get settled in the back seat with blankets once again tucked around him. With Chin on one side and Evan on the other holding the I.V. bag and stowing a medical kit that was now almost over-flowing with supplies, he felt more safe. But he was holding the cell phone like it was a life-line and slowly paging through saved pictures on the device. Definitely his own for he remembered each and every image .. where he had been and what he had been doing. The large majority focused on Grace or on him with Grace. But a few included McGarrett and there was a brief pang of uncertainty. Danny pushed the negative feelings away and flicked back to the screen saver.

Steve started the engine and then turned around to face his partner in the backseat. He was relieved to see a genuine smile finally starting to brighten the sunken, scruffy face as he stared in awe at his favorite picture of Grace. He seemed unsure of what to do next and Steve grinned.

"Hey." Danny looked up in surprise and the smile suddenly faltered, but McGarrett was only tapping his hand with a pleased expression.

"Speed dial's still the same as it was. Call your kid Danno! Tell her you're home."

**H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* **

With a voice that was raspy from fatigue and tight with tears, Danny spoke haltingly to Grace but hesitated when she asked to come over.

"Can she?" Danny whispered to Chin who had for the most part, kept up with the one-sided conversation. The doubt had resurfaced as the question was carefully posed. "Come over .. like we said?"

Before anyone could reply, McGarrett interrupted with a resounding _**yes**_, but his finger went up and Danny fought against the spontaneous flinch as hope left his eyes. Evan coughed a sly warning at the change in Danny's demeanor which Steve immediately noticed. Danny had heard many a _**yes**_ before .. but the price was always very high and his unease was palpable to everyone around him.

"But." He had meant to sound light-hearted, even funny, but Steve sobered quickly as he caught the surge of unease and Evan's subtle message. "Shower and a shave .. clean clothes .. tell her to come over in about two hours. We need some time to get home. And like I said before, I need you to let Evan check you out."

A small smile returned with an apologetic snort and Danny relayed the timing to Grace. He closed his eyes when Rachel's accented reply of '_definitely'_ reached his ears and the call ended. She was still there too. But of course she would be; her move back to the States was a fabricated lie. Evan chuckled as Danny looked ruefully down at his ruined shirt and bare feet. He was a complete mess and didn't doubt that he'd be a terrible sight for Grace to see after so many lost weeks.

They all smiled, and even Danny managed a light agreeable huffed sound at the truth of Evan's next words. "Uh, sir .. if I may say so myself .. we've all suffered long enough already in the short time I've known you .. give the kid a break!"

Danny forced himself to relax in the back of McGarrett's truck. He was slouched between Chin and Evan.,. who was still fiddling with the blood pressure cuff and wanting to take various other manual readings. He'd passed the IV bag to Chin as he made a few notes. He realized that the farther away he got from Morse and that damnable island, the better able he was at least trying to cope. Though now, Danny couldn't help clenching his fist as the cuff tightened for a reading and he shifted uncomfortably.

"Okay? Danny" Chin asked, as he pulled the blankets back up. They'd slipped down and he trembled as a chill ran through his body. He could only find the strength to nod as his eyes began to close again; though he jerked awake as the truck slowed.

"Traffic." McGarrett offered apologetically and Danny nodded again while he pushed down a fearful lurching sensation in his stomach. Kono was following in her car. He was already finding a comfortable predictability and was soothed by the Honolulu streets and the blur of passing lights from stores and other cars. The cell phone now sat in his lap, fingers curled protectively around it. Grace was good; better than good and both were now excited to see each other in just a few hours. But Danny's body was betraying him and he couldn't stop the light doze from creeping back in. His eyes were half-open as he blearily studied the back of McGarrett's head until their eyes accidentally met in the rear view mirror.

McGarrett was worried. The stony expression was gone; replaced by a concerned and moody deepness. Danny recognized the pained aneurism face immediately. A lopsided, tired quirk moved his lips and the words were out before he could think.

"That took longer than I thought." he muttered. The eyebrows went up again in surprise and Danny's grin quirked up just a bit more. But he yawned around the words as he struggled to stay awake. "Such a face McGarrett."

His last word almost ruined it, but Steve recovered. Danny missed the brief cloud that crossed Steve's eyes and then only heard the startled sound since his eyes were already closing. He only heard McGarrett's self-conscious reply.

"Go to sleep Danny. We'll wake you when we get home. We won't let you miss Gracie."

**H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* **

The small group of friends gently guided Danny into Steve's house and he stood there briefly in the living room, out of breath and exhausted from his ordeal and very much overwhelmed by his rescue. _McGarrett's_ house. So familiar and yet it made him slightly uncomfortable to be standing there now. Kono made a bee-line for the kitchen to find soup or a broth as instructed by Evan. And then McGarrett was a constant crutch as he escorted him to the bathroom and then took a step back to see if Danny was still willing to be left in the medic's care even though Chin was hovering in the doorway.

"You okay? Still alright with Evan? Chin's right here and I'm going to get you some clean clothes … clean everything."

The bathroom was small and Danny hesitated briefly but then nodded as he weakly sat on the side of the tub. The window was open, as was the door to the hallway and he would make himself relax. _McGarrett's_ house. The internal argument was just on the surface. But Grace was coming and he'd escaped .. no, the truth was he'd been _found_ and _rescued._ He looked up now as Evan settled his kit on the floor and he realized that he would be able to trust the man. He was going to trust him as Evan began asking permission and explaining what he would do.

Chin couldn't hide the sad wince as the medic gently removed the tattered shirt and then balled it up to throw in the corner. The signs of beatings and abuse ran up and down Danny's back and ribcage. Some new and many old black and blue marks mottled the area and he was achingly thin. Chin felt Steve rock to a sudden halt over his shoulder and barely heard the muffled curse.

"If he wasn't dead already .. I'd kill him again."

"Yeah. No kidding." Chin agreed angrily as Evan gently palpitated the worst looking bruises. Just enough food to keep him going, but not enough to gain full strength back. A much too light diet free of protein and the effects were clear. Danny was shaking from fatigue and easily impressionable; spooked by a single word or sound. But he sat there quietly enough as Evan listened to his heart and lungs. Closing his eyes as the blood pressure was retaken, along with baselines of his temperature, pulse and respiration. Determined to beat back the angry voices in his head. He winced as the medic examined his back and bruised shoulder and then _tsked_ an unhappy sound over what felt like two fractured ribs. All too soon, Evan could sense the man's ability to cope running desperately thin so he ended on an up-note as he reached for Danny's arm.

"I'm going to remove this so you can shower." Danny nodded in surprise as Evan removed the I.V. line and then the port. A cotton ball and small bandage were quickly put in its place. "Tell me if you feel dizzy or nauseous though. Alright?"

The medic was his typical polite self as he backed away. Turning, he took the clean towels and clothing from Steve and plunked them in his patient's lap. He didn't like the too low blood pressure or the rapid pulse; plus Danny's temperature was elevated but the man was home and needed positive reinforcement. Everyone, including Evan was ignoring some of the fearful over-reactions and attempting to act as normal as possible. But the Detective needed x-rays to see what, if anything was going on with two particularly creaky ribs and have his badly bruised right shoulder evaluated. In fact, he needed a valid physical from a real medical doctor. A psychiatric exam would also be on the short list of must-haves. However, Evan didn't find anything physically life-threatening and he personally agreed with the normalcy of a supportive environment in the short-term.

So with a genuine smile, Evan pointed to the shower. "You need a light meal, fluids, and a good rest – a great deal of _rest_ and we're going to run another I.V. But you have a guest due to come over so we can talk about all of that later."

Danny's eyes flew to Steve's face with an awkward grin as he staggered to his feet. Evan snorted as Danny's knees weakened and he held him up until he regained his balance. "Hey, you have enough bruises already for me to look at! Let's not add any more."

And he laughed. Weary eyed and completely worn out. Danny laughed at the medic's chuckled words. "Sorry about your face." He added as he motioned to the bruise.

"Nah. My wife will tell me it's an improvement." The funny comeback was unexpected and it made Danny sit down again with a thump again on the side of the tub. He was still smiling and the laugh lines around his eyes lit up his expression.

Steve shook his head in wonder at the happy transformation and dared to slightly relax before pushing past Chin and Evan. "Let's get you cleaned up. Grace will be here before you know it." Danny needed help in his weakened state, as everyone but Steve vacated the small bathroom.

Grace and Rachel showed up scarcely fifteen minutes after Danny was tucked into bed. But before those few minutes, Steve was still fretting about what soap and water revealed under the caked layers of dirt, dried blood and grime. He'd needed help but had refused to ask. Steve's quiet assistance was met with a great deal of uncertainty and even embarrassment, but then accepted. The trust was there but easily dashed and Steve was silent as he helped him shower and change. Completely drained of energy by the time they'd finished, Danny mumbled his thanks. But other than that, offered nothing and Steve found himself resenting Danny's subtle avoidance in speaking directly to him.

Afterwards, Evan quietly took Steve off to the side to explain his theories about what had been done. "I'm not an expert of course. And he needs x-rays .. to see a real medical doctor ..maybe a nutritionist." From that, Evan described the blunt force trauma and what looked like burn marks around Danny's back and torso.

"Luckily, I don't see any head injuries .. they definitely wanted him to hurt .. but not be so injured that he couldn't perform their little job. They fed him, but not enough to regain any real strength." Evan had become sickened himself over what he'd found and deduced from his examination.

"And a blood test .. I'd like to try, but I'm not sure if he'll let me take it. We need to see if there's anything left in his system. The marks on his arms .. injection sites and from god knows what kind of I.V.s" Evan hesitated as he brought up the final delicate subject.

"Commander. We don't really know what was done to him. You were his primary target and there could be other triggers .. other latent problems. I'd be very careful until you know for certain. Especially with his daughter coming over." Evan heaved a sigh and held his hands up in resignation as Steve angrily reacted to the possibilities. But the medic was right.

"_McGarrett_." Only said in a whisper and most often only when he absolutely needed to. Said even to others in conversation as a casual remark. But it was out of context; entirely wrong. Danny still hadn't said his name and it bothered him. Again, it felt _wrong_ .. something was definitely still _off_. But Steve would handle it; right now, it was good enough to have Danny safely home and the maniac with Max where he belonged zippered tightly up in a black bag.

"I'll handle it." Steve bluntly remarked to the medic. "I'll take care of it."

Kono was sitting on the side of the bed next to Danny as she helped him steady a water-glass after finishing a bowl of broth. Evan was insistent that he drink as much as possible and have crackers or something light. Danny was obviously ill, but looked more normal and more like himself after a shave and being hidden under clean clothes that hung on his tired frame. Moment's later, Steve had to excuse himself to stand out on the lanai to settle his own breathing and wipe tears from his eyes.

"My fault." Steve muttered again in apology to the night sky and then couldn't help sending a chair flying out in an angered fit of rage across the patio and into the sand. He had let the threats go unattended after they had apparently stopped over time. But Morse had been merely preparing for the abduction. Toying with them all until he was ready for that first fateful day. Steve had let his guard slip and allowed himself to table the issue and Morse had laughed the entire time. And from the grave, the maniac might still very well be laughing.

He rubbed his face with both hands noticing the tremble as his own adrenalin slowly wore off. "Let this be it. Please" Steve whispered the words quietly but he knew as he said them that something wasn't sitting right; there was something still _off_. "No more surprises. This was enough."

"_McGarrett_."

Evan's comments had completely unsettled him and he understood the truth of it. The medic had bravely voiced what Steve had thought. Morse and his twin were both crazy, but the one brother had been insanely devious in his madness. He liked games. He liked to hide surprises deeply within his games. It took Steve many minutes to get himself back together and when he rejoined the group, the doorbell rang. Grace and Rachel had arrived.

Five weeks and one day after her father disappeared after dropping her off at school, Grace bolted into the bedroom and was sobbing in his arms. And Steve was still playing Morse's game.

_**~ to be continued ~**_


	8. Chapter 7

**I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. No copyright infringement intended.**

**Notes: special kudos to CinderH who had to beta between one writer and two obnoxious muses! ;-) **

**H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* **

**Chapter 7**

He simply couldn't believe what was happening as his grip tightened on Grace. Another tangible truth. And now Danny just held her and breathed her in for minutes as she cried and said his name over and over. He'd been so certain of her death. And Rachel had been wholly uncertain of how to prepare for the possibility that Danny might also not come back. Steve had managed to make her wait .. to tell Grace anything but her own adult fears until he was certain. But there was so much that could or might not be explained for such a long period of time. Eventually, Grace began to guess and then to become fearful until Uncle Steve promised.

"Uncle Steve promised." Danny winced at her crying mumble. For him, the terrible illusion had been especially real. Sold to him and he bought it after a while kicking and screaming .. resisting. But finally forced to believe it. Knowing that he would end everything after he did what the nurse whispered. He'd have nothing left to live for anyway. What would it have mattered? He had fully believed it all until McGarrett arrived and began to slowly prove the lies wrong. First on the beach with the sat-phone. First Chin and then with just the sound of Grace's voice. And then in the truck as his cell phone was handed back to him to call his daughter, and of course now. All the lies had been pulled apart one by one. Something began to unravel in Danny's chest; a fist sized knot that he didn't know had been programmed into his being.

"Grace." Danny whispered in wonder. Content to close his eyes, hold her and just stroke her long hair. His glassy eyes eventually opened to find McGarrett in the bedroom, leaning up against the far wall. Arms folded, watchful. The man was gently smiling though, almost acting pleased with himself for orchestrating the reunion. And he should be proud as Danny remembered his determined words.

"_I'll prove it_." He had.

_"I promised Grace I'd bring you home_." And he did.

Danny looked down as Grace leaned back in his arms and voiced what he'd been thinking. She wiggled away to sit on her knees in the bunched up bedding. "Uncle Steve said he would bring you home. He promised."

_'Uncle Steve'_, that should be normal too. '_Steve'_. But he closed his eyes as the deep angry whisper lurked in the background and again he stumbled over the name in his mind.

'_McGarrett'_ the voice demanded in the background. '_He left you.'_

"No!" That was wrong and he choked the word out in a loud gasp. The near shout startled Grace; he actually almost scared her and she immediately thought he meant that Steve hadn't promised and new tears began to fall.

"But Danno, he did promise." Her voice was broken by a short sob and Danny was confused for a minute. "Uncle Steve brought you home."

Zoning out and then back he realized then that he had said the word out loud and he used his thumb to gently wipe her tears off her cheek. He noticed too that McGarrett had suddenly rocked off the wall at his short outburst. His face was dark with worry. Anxious about Danny; concerned for Grace and where Danny had gone for that moment in time. Danny's eyes were glistening with his own tears as he rubbed Grace's arms.

"I'm sorry Gracie. I know. He did promise and he did it. I know." He closed his eyes as he took breaths to try to settle himself; blearily then looking up at McGarrett at a total loss of what to say or do while his stomach twisted again in an all too recent fear.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, this time to Steve who was now standing very close to the bed. But Danny couldn't finish as his throat closed up. _'Steve'_. He wanted to say so much more but found he couldn't as the threatening whisper ran through his mind.

_'McGarrett.' _Danny noticed that his hands were shaking and he was afraid again. He glanced down to his daughter and pushed the hair back from her tear-stained face. "Grace?"

Steve sat on the edge of the bed and pulled Grace back onto his own lap as she dried the last of her tears. Equally worried, but offering calming words for both as he waved Evan into the room. "She's fine Danny. And Danno's just tired Gracie."

He studied Danny's face closely and then made a decision. "You're okay too. Just completely wiped out like Evan said. Danny, you're exhausted but everything's fine." Danny was shaking and alarmingly pale. He was holding Grace's hand and still trying to find something to say until she spoke for him.

"You look tired Danno. And your hands are cold." Steve gently put her down to pick up Danny's hand and then frowned as he rubbed it between his own. Danny's hands were like ice and from nerves or something else, his entire body was now trembling badly.

"You're freezing." Steve remaked worriedly. He got up quickly to rummage through the small closet to gather up more blankets. He began to lay them over Danny just as Evan pulled out his gear with an apologetic look.

"I understand your feelings about being in a hospital. But there's going to be just so much I can do here, if you decide to collapse on us." The medic was quiet as he checked Danny's blood pressure and readied another I.V. for fluids. And then he was stern as he grimaced over the readings. "You need to rest or we're going to have some real problems."

His next annoyed look was for Steve. He needed to care for Danny and wasn't sure if he'd have issues as his eyes dropped to Grace. The child needed to go if something happened. There was a quick nod and Steve gently propelled Grace back to Danny before taking her down to Rachel. "It's been a long day and you two can visit again tomorrow."

Grace had already forgotten the tiny incident; making a face as Steve handed her off to Kono in the hallway. But she shook free of Kono's hand to once again throw herself on the bed and into Danny's arms. And then they were smiling together just a few seconds later. "Goodnight Danno!"

Danny was fine afterwards as Evan replaced the I.V. and then insisted on staying to re-take his vitals. His eyes were closing as he finally calmed and allowed the medic to do whatever was needed. The voices had nearly gone and he was barely able to stay awake. Steve was back to sitting on the edge of the bed, just watching with a settling hand resting on Danny's arm.

"I'm okay." Danny mumbled quietly to both men. Evan had insisted on providing oxygen again and Danny's voice was muffled under the mask.

"Yes you are. So go to sleep." Steve gently encouraged as Danny jerked awake from a light doze. He could tell that Danny was battling something, but sheer exhaustion could account for a great deal of things. "Everything's fine, Danno."

He could see Danny slowly relaxing under the pile of blankets he'd been wrapped in. His hands were still cold, but not as distressingly so and the tremble was slowly easing. Evan made a 'so-so' motion with his hands as he took another blood pressure reading; a few pieces of equipment were quietly stowed back away but he would be staying at least another hour to be sure.

However, Danny jerked awake to dimly look at Steve's face. "You staying?" The muffled question was almost inaudible and Steve had to lean down to be sure he heard it right. But then he nodded, pausing only to tuck blankets up around Danny's chest. Steve breathed out his reply as Danny found his wrist. He could sense the continued apology and smiled as Danny's eyes finally began to close.

Steve sighed as he covered the cold fingers with his other hand. "Just try to make me go."

The two men waited a good many minutes to make sure that Danny was sleeping soundly. Once they were certain, Evan took the opportunity to draw three vials of blood which he would take into the labs that night for analysis.

**H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* **

"I think. Maybe three times .. Same people. Maybe." Three days had passed since he'd been found and Danny was trying to remember how often he'd been moved from location to location and who might have been there. But no matter what he tried to describe, he would change his mind. Uncertain of what had happened, where, or the timeframe. He was doing it now as Steve gently tried to coax something of value out of his ordeal. Chin and Kono had already been back to the island, but they had no clues related to the female nurse and no idea if Morse had additional accomplices.

"I'm sorry. I just don't know." He sank back into the bed and watched McGarrett. He didn't seem to be upset, but Danny was disappointing himself at the major gaps in his memory. He simply couldn't remember.

Chin had taken the box from Morse's dead hands and the vials of drugs were still being analyzed by both Max and Fong. Initial results yielded a unique mix of mind-altering drugs that would inhibit the subject's ability to concentrate. Increased dosages would affect the ability to keep thoughts ordered and cohesive. Eventually, it was possible that the subject would start to lose the concept of time and then no longer discern what happened yesterday from what happened a year ago. However, the worse effects would exaggerate feelings of aggression towards others and cause extreme agitation with the slightest of distractions. The methodical and persistent spoon-fed lies, fabricated messages and faked photos along with a very poor diet served to continually weaken and wear Danny down to a grueling and constantly exhausted state.

In Max's bland words, "_No one could have fought this persistent process for very long .._ _anyone would have done just about anything to escape the pain. Gaining approval for reward. Reward being cessation of pain. Even just a decent night's sleep. But also an extreme, such as .. let's say ...__suicide ...had it been suggested_."

And when it came to the drugs, Danny didn't think he'd been administered any in over a week's time prior to his rescue. The blood that Evan drew while Danny slept after Grace's first visit had been analyzed and seemed to support that at least; that was one consolation. There had been barely any traces at all in his system and for that, everyone was relieved.

"I was alone. Been alone." He was resting in bed and it would be many more days for his energy to return, but Danny was steadily becoming more calm and more accepting of the caring commotion taking place around him.

"What hurts?" Steve asked worriedly as Danny winced and his breathing dramatically changed.

"No, it's not that." Danny whispered as he closed his eyes at a distant memory. "I remember. _Hurting_." He missed Steve's dark unhappy look. Corporal Evan Simpson had just left after checking in on his new friends. As he happily stated: to make sure that Detective was resting comfortably and following doctor's orders. More than half of what Danny had been able to accomplish was entirely due to the man's patient and willingness to help.

In fact, just the day before, Evan had stepped forward to coax, coddle and plead Danny through a complete physical and an exhaustive set of x-rays that confirmed two cracked ribs and a severe bone bruise to his shoulder. Danny had managed to make it through the ordeal, but had refused a hospital stay. The physician had strongly disagreed based on his continued low blood pressure and electrolyte imbalances. He was also still running a low grade fever and distressingly below optimal weight. But with Evan's help and Steve's insistence, Danny was released into their care. The psychological evaluation would take much longer to accomplish and could wait until Danny was at least more stable.

Now after the medic left the house, their conversation had turned to Morse and the island. Danny's next comment had Steve making a clearly disgusted sound. Some things about Danny were so normal and his attempt to make Steve feel better was one example. "None of this was your fault."

"We should have done a better job. I should have. In the very least, I should have stayed more .. _aware_ .. on my toes." Their quiet conversations had started to swirl around Steve's guilt and responsibility in the abduction. Morse's very personal payback for Steve's murder of his twin brother.

Morse had planned the abduction well in advance as he studied brainwashing techniques and the creation of emotional dependencies. He also used the time to set up the elaborate illusion on the island .. to ready it for his subject. Chin and Kono had revisited the private island with a complete forensics team to begin dismantling the operation and hopefully learn more about what Danny had been subjected to for days and weeks on end. More work was still being done there, but their initial summary was shocking and both had difficulty relating their findings to the Governor and especially to Steve.

For all of his being self-taught, Morse had become quite learned and the operation had been very intricate. The knowledge only served to torment Steve even more about what else Morse might have planted. Some other unknown trigger that would make Danny do 'something' to endanger himself or another person.

When Kono found the hidden third trailer where the experimental 'play area' was housed, she'd been dumbfounded by the life-size effigies of McGarrett; most of which were riddled with bullet holes. The weapons locker and the still very well stocked medical supply cabinets clearly indicated what had happened in that area on a regular basis. But she had been unable to continue after entering the control room and accidentally playing the vicious audio recordings that urged Danny on .. explaining, coaching, demanding and finally threatening what Danny was required to do. Each recording escalating in its focused intent to deconstruct Danny to orchestrate Steve McGarrett's death.

_He killed your friend._

_He hurt you._

_Then he left you._

_He abandoned you._

_And then he left you to die._

The electronic stereo system was state of the art and there was no escaping the repetitive female voice; the phantom nurse they still couldn't identify and had no current hopes of locating. Other computers had been ripped out and forensics had suspicions that the activity in the trailer had been video recorded to feed Morse's ego. A fake Honolulu newspaper was found with Grace's small obituary circled. But they couldn't locate the photographs or the televised short news segment that Danny had described being shown. So in the end, what was found was helpful in only that the plot had been well-orchestrated and very thorough. Plus, Morse's focus seemed to be primarily on Steve and no one else.

"There was no way to know." Danny repeated himself while he watched McGarrett pace the near the foot of the bed. He had begun to accept what had happened and was trying to move on. He was already tired of talking about it; depressed by not beng able to remember the most basic of things. His goal now was to regain his health and eventually get back to work.

Danny grinned good-naturedly as he looked over at McGarrett, recognizing all the plainly visible signs of guilt and an ongoing worry. "Hey. I feel better. It's over ... like you said."

But Steve continued to brood. "_Hey_" or "_McGarrett_." Never "_Steve_" or _'Steven'_. The annoying whispers as if Danny was intentionally trying to be quiet, as if he were hiding or even afraid to draw attention to himself.

He had to bite his tongue to keep from asking now since it was too soon. Danny was still much too weak and he didn't know what posing the question might reveal. The issue could also simply vanish as Danny recuperated. Steve needed to bide his time and wait .. so many achievements and yet this one omission still lingered threateningly over his own head. Growing day by day in its potential enormity. In only three short days, the fact was it was wearing Steve down; gnawing at him continually with an indescribable vengeance. Morse had done a very good job.

Steve sighed and offered Danny a small, tight smile. "Alright. Get some rest or our favorite medic will have our heads. I'll be downstairs. Grace will be over for a visit in a few hours."

But as he left the bedroom, he was continuing to dwell. Sometimes '_McGarrett'_, but usually just _'hey'_ or _'hi'_ or some other nonsense to get his attention. It was more than enough to keep him on edge; vigilant for any potential triggers. He'd manipulated the situation to keep Danny nearer to him; keep him at his own home with Chin and Kono rotating through on a daily basis. However, Chin especially chafed at Steve's decision to keep Danny so very close just in case something did go wrong.

_"What if he .. reverts .. it's not safe, Steve."_ He hadn't wanted to verbalize the concern, but the truth was real enough. Then again what options were there? Steve had thrown his hands up in the air as his frustration and worry fueled his rising anger.

_"Where would you like him to go? A psych ward somewhere? At least I know what's different .. at least I know it's aimed at me. I'll be ready. No one else needs to take this risk until we know. I'll take care of it."_

**H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* **

And what he feared happened just one week later when Grace innocently walked up to Steve and made one single confused comment. Except the reality was much worse.

And it came as things were still slowly getting back to normal. Danny had Grace for a brief afternoon visit; just a short visit on a beautiful Saturday. The three were strolling down the beach with Danny just a few steps ahead carrying the small bucket that was partially full of a few seashells. They weren't going to go far since he was still weak and tired much too easily. But the short walk was a new treat that Evan had suggested to regain muscle tone and offer a soothing change of scenery.

Gracie was uncertain as she hung back a bit more to look at Steve with large, upset eyes. It was easy to see that something was bothering her and Steve held out his hand to her.

"Hiya Grace. Something wrong?"

She hesitated and finally asked her question in a small, soft voice. "Uncle Steve? Why doesn't Danno call me his '_monkey'_ any more?

Steve mentally stumbled and coughed to cover his shock as his eyes flew to Danny's back. Where he walked barefoot in the few inches of water coming up from the light low tide wave pools. Walking slowly and only as far as his strength would allow, just a few feet ahead of them.

The other shoe had fallen.

_**~ to be continued ~**_


	9. Chapter 8

**I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. No copyright infringement intended.**

**Note: this was completely done until the muses had a fight and I had to suffer. There was a tiny compromise in DWOCD's favor. Is that a compromise though?**

**H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* **

**Chapter 8**

Grace understood that a bad man had kidnapped her father. He had been gone for a very long time, but Uncle Steve had brought him home. He was still sick and got tired easily. Grace could see that he was just a bit different since he didn't laugh as much. But he'd been getting better and was more and more like himself every day. She was relieved that she had asked Uncle Steve about why Danno had stopped calling her his _'monkey'_. At first she hadn't even noticed. But the more they spoke on the phone or saw each other on their brief visits, Grace had finally realized that was missing too. So when Uncle Steve asked her to be brave just a bit longer and not ask again, she was unhappy, but she agreed.

"_Don't ask Danno either, okay? He will very be upset if he thinks he hurt your feelings. It's probably only because he's not feeling well yet_." So she had held Uncle Steve's hand back to the house and then sat with her father until her mother had come to pick her up. Promising not to say anything until Uncle Steve could help.

However Steve was on edge from that very moment on. He needed a plan to set up a controlled environment to test the theory. Morse's final coup de grâce would be so tragic as to use something or someone so dear to Danny. But for what end, Steve wasn't sure and he didn't dare risk anyone else knowing. And if he was worrying for nothing, than no harm and no foul.

"What did you do Morse?" Steve muttered to himself after Rachel picked up Grace. Her question had made him notice the error now too, and it also felt off. Something else was wasn't right. He needed to find something or somewhere safe but not too contrived.

Steve's opportunity came sooner than he anticipated just the very next evening after he and Danny had dinner on the lanai. It was approaching dusk and had rained for most of the day keeping them house-bound. But the rain had finally let up and Danny decided to got for a walk on the beach with Steve tagging along.

"Sure. But it may start up again." Steve nodded though it was still dismal and threatening as he peered up at the dark sky.

Danny shrugged and started a slow walk away of the house. "We've been in all day and we don't have to go far. I just want to get out a bit." Steve noticed that because of the gloom of the day, the beach was all but empty. The timing seemed right and Danny had nowhere to go if something should happen. So Steve, sighed as he put his arm around his friend's shoulders and guided him slowly down to the water's edge. A few minutes later, and making sure no one was nearby, Steve asked Grace's simple question.

"I was talking to Grace yesterday. She was a bit upset about something and I promised I'd ask you for her."

The house was still in sight, and Danny stopped walking to look at Steve quizzically. He frowned and then replied with an injured tone. "She couldn't ask me herself?"

Steve breathed out and gazed at the dark waves in an uncomfortable silence before trying to explain as best as possible. "Only because her feelings are hurt. And then .. she didn't want to hurt your feelings either. It's a bit of a ... strange .. question."

He hesitated and then offered, "Gracie only asked me yesterday just before Rachel picked her up."

Danny was put out, insulted, and Steve could feel the annoyance beginning to roll off him. "How could she ever hurt my feelings?" Danny muttered. But he stayed quiet as he waited for the explanation. And Steve kept his hand on Danny's shoulder as he carefully gauged any next reaction, praying the entire time that there simply wouldn't be one.

"Danny, she asked me why you don't call her your '_monkey'_ anymore."

He also wanted to ask about himself, but this for whatever reason seemed obviously more dire. Steve asked for Grace's sake and then just waited. A distant cool breeze played off the water and once again, the scent of rain reached them. But neither man moved. In fact, Danny's face had paled and he was standing completely still. His jaw worked soundlessly and then Steve could feel a new tremble though his shoulder. A few moments later, the air seemed to still around him as Danny's stress returned in a rush and his lax hands became tight fists.

"Danny?" Worried now as the changes became evident, Steve called to him quietly. "What are you thinking?"

But he was wholly unprepared for the violence of the first punch. It cracked his jaw soundly and snapped his head back. Steve stumbled to his knee with a loud grunt as his vision grayed. The blood roared in his ears as Danny's second blow caught him in the temple and then Steve found himself flat on his back and staring at the gray sky.

Danny simply turned and walked away. Blindly walking, until it became a slow jog and then an awkward run. His eyes were vacant as he searched for a way out and with a choked whisper, he realized there wasn't one on the empty beach.

"Finish it. I have to finish it." He was becoming distraught as he searched for a place to go. And then without warning, simply turned directly into the sea.

"Danny! Stop!" Steve was just getting to one knee when it happened. Stunned by both hits, he was horrified to suddenly realize that the planted trigger wasn't meant for him or for anyone else. It was meant strictly for Danny .. Morse's final _achievement _was the self-sacrifice of his own creation.

Filled with a sense of overwhelming loss, Danny was already up to his waist and then diving under the waves by the time Steve was able to react and follow him. He barely felt the cold salty waters as each wave began to wash over his chest and then his shoulders, and finally completely over his head. He was riddled with a complete sense of failure and loss without understanding the reasons why. He only knew that the crippling pain would soon follow.

_'Finish it.'_

_'You always fail.'_

The harsh threatening demand of "_finish it_" ran constantly through his head. The overwhelming feelings drove him on. He choked in seawater as he began to swim arm over arm in an awkward, weak stroke.

_'Fix it, finish it, fix it.'_

"Please." He whimpered as he began to cough and entirely lose his sense of direction. Dusk had fallen, and it had begun to drizzle again. He couldn't see the shore line just wave upon wave rolling in heavy sets. Strong surf already made high by the day's foul weather, increased in size as the storm kicked back up.

'_Time to finish it Daniel. It's time.' _The doctor's voice in his head rang out the orders as another wave swamped him completely and he began to sink. Exhausted and confused, Danny briefly fought to get back to the surface until he realized that _sinking_ would be the solution. It's what the voices wanted him to do. He wouldn't fail and he wouldn't be punished anymore if he just let everything go. It was time to let it all go.

"_Monkey, your Grace is dead. Finish it." _His lungs were burning as his body argued the decision and his half-hearted attempts at reaching the surface became more and more feeble in the cold water. Inches from the surface, the choice was finally made for him as his body reflexively inhaled and then something inside him snapped. _Grace wasn't dead_. The doctor was wrong .. the voices lied.

"_Not dead .. she's here_. _Steve_." Another trick from Morse as Danny began to choke. Inches from the surface and near drowning, he knew. _Morse_. He heard the all too pleased sardonic laughter. He heard the truth behind the voice, the taunts and paralyzing pain used to beat and finally coerce him to forget. The rage against McGarrett. But not Danny's rage. Morse's rage. Steve had never left him and Morse was dead. Danny had killed him, himself.

"_Steve ..Monkey. Grace isn't dead_." Danny didn't know when or how that had happened. How Morse had planted the crippling suggestion into his mind. But it didn't matter as he began to drown and the rough tides pulled at him. "_Steve_."

Another illusion had been forced upon him yet again; the most elaborate trick. Danny fought to the surface once, using up his last reserves of energy and breaking through with a sob to suck in rain-soaked air. And Danny glimpsed the dark head swimming towards him with a strong purpose and he managed to call his name. No one had ever abandoned him, least of all Steve.

"Steve!" Danny called once, and then tried again, but it was too late as another waved swamped him and he gagged in more water. Inches from the surface, his eyes began to close and his arms and legs became dead weights that refused to cooperate. Exhausted and drowning, the voices and terrible messages finally left him. But they were replaced with a new sense of loss that shook him as he lost consciousness.

"_Gracie. Monkey … no. Steve._"

It was useless to call out again as Steve methodically tracked Danny's path beyond the breakers. He wasn't a half bad swimmer but he still greatly lacked stamina and the waves were strong, buffeting Danny to slow his progress into deeper waters. Steve was gaining on him but cursed as the blonde head disappeared twice in a row, taking just a few seconds longer to reappear. The last time, he saw Danny's hand and thought he heard his name on the wind. Just one weak shout of _'Steve'_ before he saw Danny go under.

"God, no." Steve whispered in surprise at the faintly called out word. He was close now as he dove and snaked easily through the surf to catch up to his partner. Steve's one blessing was that the ocean was his own personal playground; he wouldn't allow this to be the final end game.

"Damn you to hell Morse." Steve muttered as he spat out a mouthful of sea water and then began a hard determined stroke that sliced through the rough waves. Danny had gone down again as a larger wave rolled in and this time, hadn't resurfaced. In seconds, Steve was there and filling his lungs before diving down. In the murky dark and with the waters now churning from a storm, visibility below the surface was startling limited. But he saw the faint outline just below, twisting limply in the currents and in seconds had grabbed Danny up. Pulling him tightly to his chest and knowing that Danny wouldn't be breathing. Every second would now be a race against time.

"Come on Danny." Steve gasped as a wave washed over them both. Sputtering, Steve bobbed back up and kicked hard as he pinched Danny's nose closed with his right hand and gave a strong series of rescue breaths. But the surf had increased from the already poor weather and he was hampered; becoming desperate as he saw the distance back to shore. Without help, Steve alternated between swimming towards shore and breathing for Danny. He wasn't sure how long it took, only that he'd finally succeeded as his feet hit the sands in shallower waters.

Light-headed from rescue breathing and from keeping them both afloat in the rough surf, it seemed that it had taken much too long for Danny to respond with a faint, strangled wet spasm of coughs. And then it sapped all of Steve's remaining strength to pull Danny's limp body up into a bear-hugged drag from the water and to higher sands. Steve was frantic as he rolled Danny onto his side so that the continued weak shattered coughs would expel inhaled seawater. Dusk had fallen and even Steve was cold as rain began to pelt them.

"You're not going to do this." Steve was coughing himself as he bent over Danny and wiped straggly hair from his face to see the blue-tinged lips as he struggled for air. "Come on. Breathe."

Steve suddenly gasped as a rain-soaked and very happy dog lumbered into his side. In seconds, a large head with a big soft-eyed expression wound up in his arms. It was nothing but a wet, wagging tail attached to a burly, yellow wiggling body and he lurched at the surprise of the unexpected greeting.

"Hey! I'm sorry about my dog! You need help there?" The dog's owner, a middle-aged woman was already pulling out a cell phone and coming over at a jog. Embarrassed and concerned at the same time, she was stuttering over her words as she realized what happened. "I'm really .. very .. sorry."

Steve was relieved at the unexpected help as he tried to push the big, friendly dog away and then gave up as Danny began to tremble. "Call 911. He almost drowned."

The woman reacted immediately - speed dialing emergency services and talking rapidly to give accurate directions, while at the same time leashing her bouncy retriever. Before she ended the call, Steve motioned for the phone and gave additional information to the emergency operator. After that, the woman was silent; seemingly impressed by his tone and the Five-0 classification.

"Thanks." Steve said as he anxiously propped Danny on his side and rubbed his back. He was only semi-conscious and feebly scrabbling for Steve in the sand. He caught the hand up, rubbing grains of sand off the trembling fingers and listening as Danny whispered his name. "Steve."

But it was the only word Danny got out as a fit of coughing seized his chest and he tried to roll into a fetal position. Danny heaved and then vomited up remaining water from his stomach, coughing and gagging miserably. He was sick and wasted as he lay limply on the beach and the drizzle became rain. Steve continued to rub his back in small circles as tears filled his eyes and Danny's fingers twitched to tighten around his own.

"Easy. Just think about breathing." One word. One very special word had almost brought disaster and Steve closed his eyes to will his tears away. He was shocked at the depths of Morse's evil. Unsure of how the man could even have guessed or known about Grace's pet name. Lost in the thought, he almost missed Danny's soft words that were broken by harsh wheezes and choked gasps. And then he had to bend down to be sure.

"Steve. Gracie .. where's .. Grace?"

"She's home Danny. Safe and sound with Rachel. Help's on its way." Not _'McGarrett'_ but finally and definitely just '_Steve'__. _Standing a few feet away, the woman held her dog tightly by her side, unsure of what to do or how to help.

"Can I do anything else? Your face is bruised too."

Steve glanced up and shook his head as he wiped water away from his face with his arm. It was then he felt the achy bruise on his temple but he only shrugged. "No. No, thanks for calling." His voice was rough from inhaling his own bit of water and undisguised emotions as Danny continued to wretch into the sand. But sirens could now be heard near his house and the woman was still staring down at him.

"I'm good. We're fine. They're almost here." Completely distracted, he never noticed the woman and the dog leave as the EMT crew ran around the side of the house to meet them on the beach. Steve hung his head in the rain with one hand on Danny's neck feeling the constant beat of his pulse. The other was still tangled in Danny's fingers since he hadn't loosened his weak grip on Steve's own. He was barely conscious but breathing and Steve allowed his tears to fall mixing in with the rain.

"This game is over." Steve muttered it to himself, but Danny's cold fingers tightened at the words and Steve wrapped them in his own. Danny seemed to agree with the angry statement.

**~ to be continued ~**


	10. Chapter 9 End

**I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. No copyright infringement intended.**

**Notes: thank you to CinderH - forever patient with the muses and keeping them on track. And thank you to everyone who commented and reviewed - favorited - and read this new story. I always appreciate your wonderful notes and encouragement.**

**H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* **

**Chapter 9 **

Danny was sure that he was floating in a dark, calm void. Had he opened his eyes, he would have seen Steve standing over his hospital bed. And _standing_ would have been an understatement since the man didn't merely _stand_. His stance was aggressive, larger than life, and very stiff with an angry worry. He also would have seen the doctor leaning over him, closely listening to his lungs and the much too shallow breaths he wheezed out under the oxygen mask. But he was half conscious of the deep drone though the void kept him comfortably pillowed in darkness.

"Lungs sound iffy. Congested. And his oxygen saturation is low." The doctor repeated himself to Steve as he pocketed his stethoscope. "His system was compromised before this happened. He's going down to x-ray and count on him staying at least twenty-four hours. I'll submit the orders."

As the drone became more of a solid voice, Danny's pleasant floating sensation also began to evaporate. It was replaced with an elephant-sized pressure that was sitting squarely in the center of his chest. Or maybe it was an anvil that was squeezing the breath out of his lungs and causing the sharp pains in his ribcage. Regardless of what it was, it hurt and he feebly tried to lift his hand to rub and knuckle the pain away. There was something in the way though and he wasn't able to free his hand from where it seemed to be stuck and he felt a pang of unease.

"It's only me." Steve's voice was near his side and it took a few minutes for him to realize that his hand wasn't stuck. It was being clasped in strong fingers as he weakly tried to pull away. "Danny, you're okay. It's only me."

He had to literally peel his eyes open, wincing at the bright lights to hazily see Steve's face. And then it took many minutes for him to actually focus as he blinked slowly to clear both his foggy brain and his vision.

"Hey, who am I?" The odd question caught Danny completely off guard and he frowned in confusion. He blinked rapidly and his frown deepened. Steve was practically in his space and vacillating between a frightened worry and a happier hope.

Danny weakly exhaled and then closed his eyes. "What?" But Steve's hand tightened on his own and he got a small shake on his shoulder.

"Try to stay awake." Again the tone was anxious, but tinged with a distinct happiness. "Who am I?"

His brain misfired and Danny groaned as the pain in his chest spiked briefly. "What's wrong with you? You forget who you are or something?"

His voice was gruff and scratchy, the harsh feelings in the back of his throat making him cough from under the oxygen mask. His eyes were dry and a headache was blossoming at the base of his skull. But Danny forced his eyes open again and was surprised to see two significant bruises on Steve's face. The one on his temple was a deep black-ish color and looked painful. Bits of hair stood up on Steve's head from where they were still salty and damp from the ocean and heavy rain. He looked as exhausted as Danny once again felt so very sick. And the heavy stress and tension were clear in the way he held his shoulders.

He grimaced and then scowled. "Did you hit your head?" Steve chuckled softly and rubbed Danny's chest exactly where he wanted to a few minutes earlier as a cough rattled him under the mask. It was soothing and helped, and Danny sighed his thanks.

"No. Kono would call this a love tap. But say my name." He'd become almost demanding but Danny was sure Steve was now making fun of him. He couldn't figure out why Steve would make fun of him at a time like this, so he made a face under the oxygen mask. He most definitely didn't feel like talking as he carefully breathed in the pure oxygen to his pained lungs. But after a few minutes, he squinted up and groaned in annoyance. Steve was still waiting; staring at him with an expectant expression. Danny gathered enough strength to puff out a short reply.

"Steve. What _is_ your problem?" But Steve only grinned as he rubbed Danny's chilled fingers between his hands and some of the stress eased significantly.

"Yeah, that's me." And he chuckled at Danny's exasperated attempt at an eye-roll. "And I don't have any more problems now Danno."

"Of course you're .. you .. Neanderthal. And beg to differ .. you have too many problems to count. Maybe it's you that should be in this hospital bed, Steven." Danny breathed the small rant just before the coughing jag hit with a vengeance. Talking was taking too much out of him and Steve was definitely pushing his buttons.

"Idiot." Tears fell from his eyes as the spasm ran its course and he gasped to catch his breath. He felt the bed dip as Steve sat by his left hip and then went back to rubbing his chest in small circles. He had tears in his own eyes and was worriedly shushing Danny and then apologizing in a tight husky voiced whisper at the same time.

"I'm sorry for making you talk. I had to hear it." Danny found Steve's wrist and weakly nodded. He remembered the tight knot in his chest that felt so permanently in place as it sat lodged there and almost strangled him. He remembered the threatening voices, and the coldness towards his friend that he couldn't overcome for so many days.

However, he really didn't know what Steve was truly thinking. For him, he hadn't heard Danny's voice in over five weeks time and then when they finally had him home, that old friendly voice had become aloof, almost uncaring and so far removed. Emotionless and never speaking his name.

"_McGarrett'_ and never _'Steve_. Almost normal but not quite so, and then Grace's innocent question had cut him to his core. Danny had finally come home, but then not entirely.

In his own way, Danny knew what Steve desperately wanted to be sure of. He had wanted to say things that he couldn't force to come out. He had felt trapped too, fearful of what he couldn't seem to find anymore. So he understood that Steve knew exactly what he meant when he whispered his own apology. The inflicted, man-made knots were gone and Danny knew there would be no other hidden surprises. He simply felt it, but was too tired to try to explain it as his eyes began to close. Steve would understand that too.

"Sorry. I tried." He murmured the words as Steve continued to rub his chest. It was quieting and massaged some of the ache out of his lungs. Before falling asleep, Danny managed one brief raspy complaint that made Steve snort happily.

"You're still an idiot."

**H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* **

He remained in the hospital for forty-eight hours. Almost twice as long as originally anticipated due to the threat of pneumonia from the severe congestion in his lungs. Danny's weakened state made his recovery a much longer ordeal and the doctor was overly vigilant in his care before he would deem him completely out of danger. Evan had also visited during that time; anxious and shocked about what Steve's hunch had uncovered. The medic was fascinated by Steve's recounting of what had happened and Morse's long reach. But he disagreed when Steve angrily mumbled about the maniac.

"He was more thorough than we could have guessed. He did a very good _job_." Steve ground the last word out and began to pace the hallway. Evan stopped him though and then punched him playfully in the arm.

"I'll give him thorough. _Maybe_. But you did the better job. Don't forget who's still here and why. And Danny's going to be fine." The kind observation brought Steve to a complete stand-still and he could only stare at Evan until the words sunk in. And then the medic just shrugged as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. With a solid slap to Steve's back, Evan promised to swing by Steve's after Danny was released to say hello and to do what he could to get him back on his feet.

But Steve's real success was validated when Grace visited the very first time. He was once again leaning against the wall with his arms folded over his chest. Lounging casually nearer the hospital bed and waiting for Rachel and Danny's daughter to show up after school that day. Confident that everything would be fine and that he'd finally beaten the last of Morse's demons down into the dust.

He proved that no one had anything to worry about as Danny wrapped Grace in his arms whispering _'monkey'_ combined with her name in an excited repetitive sentence. Just like Uncle Steve had promised, Danno was home. And he was already feeling better since she was her father's special _'monkey'_ and he must have only forgotten because he hadn't felt very well. She dissolved into hysterical laughter as he attacked her ticklish ribs. "Hey Grace. I didn't know little monkeys could laugh so much!"

She was laughing as he tickled her and then pulled her back down into an even bigger hug that she couldn't wriggle away from to escape. And then Steve could only grin at Grace as she caught his eye during another happy burst of giggles.

_**~ END ~**_


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